Card-index system.



WILLIAM M. STRETCH,

fr Enron.

OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

GARD-INDEX sYs'rnivr.

"To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAMl M. STRETCH, a citizen of the United Statesfresiding in M ount Vernon, Westchester county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Index' Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to card records or card indexes wherein are recorded in tabulated form, numerous items of information to which ready access is desired and relates to the same general character ofdevice as is shown in a co-pending application filed by me, which lis designated Sr. N o. 229,189 and of which the present application is a division. Such cards are usually arranged in alphabetical or some other desired order and it is frequently desired to` obtain all of those/cards which contain information relating to the same subject.

`For instance, incase the cards are used for recording the subscription list of a periodical it is desirable to be able to obtain at one time all of the cards containing`A subscriptions which are about to expire. 'Such cards will be scattered indiscriminately throughout the mass or body of the cards which are usually arranged in such cases in alphabetical or geographical order for.conven ienceof reference, and it is highly desirable to be able to`simultaneously and accuratelymseparate from the whole body of such cards all of those desired.

The object of my inven ion is to provide the said cards with distinguishingv characteristics by means ofwhich they may be separated. Such distinguishing characteristics are the same for related cards or cards belonging to the same group or class in the case supposed for those cards containing subscriptions-'expiring coincidently, and the characteristics of each group or class differ from those of every pther group or class. In connection therewith I. provide an apparatus by means of which in coperation with the said distinguishing` characteristics, cards belonging to the same group or class may be simultaneously separated from the class `tor which the card belongs. Cards belonging to the same class or group will have their tabs or projections in like position and there will be as many lines of tabs as .there are groups of cards.

An advantage following from my invention as illus Y trated inthe drawing accompanying this application is that by the use of the same I am enabled to cause the` cards which it is/desired to select from` the mass to be separated therefrom .by projecting their upper edges Specication of Letters'Patent.

, Original application led October 19, 1904, Serial No. 229,189. Divided and this application filed August 2, 1905, Serial No. 272,312.

Renewed May 8, 1907. i

Patented Oct. 8, 1907.

Serial No. 372.613.

above the rest of'the cards whereby they are brought into a prominent position, areeasily extracted and not liable to be overlooked. i

Said cards are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which also illustrates the receptacle'used by me in connection with the same.

In the said drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the card containing receptacle with cards therein, embodying one form of my invention and illustrating the same in use. Fig. 2 is a perspective View partly broken, of the card containing receptacle of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a small number of cards illustrating one manner of applying thereto the distinguishing characteristics, and which cards are adapted for nection with, the card containing receptacle of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 illustrates partly in section a rod adapted for use in connection with receptacle of Fig. l, and Fig. 5 is a cross section of the card containing receptacle of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates'a slnall number of\cards each. of' which has said distinguishing characteristic at its lower edge. I have designated the foremost card in this group as l, and the distinguishing characteristic applied to the lower edge thereof, as illustrated is a tab or projection 2. The position of this tab, or projection '2 upon the card determines the class or group to which the said card belongs, Cards belonging to the same class or group willhave projections 2 in line.

For instance, it will be observed that the top card and the bottom card in the group ol' cards (Fig. 3) have the tab 4 or projectio11`2 in line. This will insure these cards being simultaneously separated from the rest of the cards. The other cards in ,Fig 3 have their projections in different lines. f I

The cards are shown iii position in a box 3 in Fig. l, wherein a number of the cards are shown as` separated from the mass. by being raised above the balance of the cards. The card containing receptacle 3 is provided on its inside at the vbottoni with a series oi longitudinal grooves 4, which are so shaped as to receive and hold without injury, the tabs or projections 2 of the cards. There may be any required number of grooves-4, one being provided for each line of projection 2, therefore there should be as many lines of projection's andv grooves as there are groups or classes into which the cards are to be divided. At the S(bottom of .each groove-4 is cut a channel or slot 5.adapted to receive a rod such as 6. The front and rear walls of the box 3 are provided in line with the ends of each grooveffi with slots 7 each of which has a rounded lower opening 8, a narrow passageway 9, and an expanded upper part l0 which hasa flat base, `and a rounded top. v"The rod 6has a rounded center portion 11 and yflatuse in contened ond parts l2, and is provided on each end with removable knobs or linger pieces, lil. These may be held in place by friction or may be screwed on as shown in section in Fig. 4. The rods ti normally rest in the channels or slots 57 and when it is desired to extract a certain group of cards a rod may be inserted in the proper opening S and turned so that the narrow part l2 ol' the rod will be in line willi the rtstricted passageway 9. The rod can then be raised, carrying with it the cards whose projections 2 have been situated in the groove 4 lying immediately above the rod, and when the rod has passed into the opening l0 it may be turned and its flattened portions l2 will rest on the tlat base ol the opening l0 in which position it will retain the selected cards while they are being extracted.

It will be observed that the channel or slot 5 being below thegroove 4 the rod 6 may be inserted in any of the openings desired without disturbing the cards.

The box 3 as shown in Fig. .l has one rod (i in position. If the box is so used, the rear knob i3 would be omitted to facilitate the introduction and removal of the rod and the rear part of the rod may be raised by the fingersi but if desired each slot 4 may have an independent rod 6 when the rear knobs 13 of all oi the said rOds could be retained.

The operation of my invention will be fully understood from the foregoing description. When the cards 1 each having its appropriate tab or projection 2, are inserted in the box 3, with the said tabs or projections down each projection 2 will enter a corresponding groove 4 in said box, and the upper surfaces of all of the cards will be even. 1f it is desired toiselect from the said cards any particular group or body, the rod 6, the position of which in the box 3 corresponds to the position of the projections 2 upon the group of cards desired to beselected, will be turned so that its narrow part l2 will pass through the restricted passageway 9 into the opening 10, where it will be again turned and locked lin the upper position. The cards desired to be selected will then be as raised as illustrated in Fig. l and may be consulted or removed if desired.

The flattened base oi the opening l0 is about in line with that portion of the bottom of the box between the grooves 4, permitting the rod G to be raised without disturbing any cards except those which it is desired to separate. Should it be found necessary to select any other group of cards this may be done without interference with the group already selected.

It will be apparent that the tabs or projections shown may be applied to the cards at the time that they are `manufactured or should the character of the use to which the said cards are put render this undesirable from the fact that it may not be known until after the cards have the desired information recorded upon them, to which class or groupl they Ywill belong, the said tabs may be afterwards applied to the cards by pasting a strip on them which should project below the bottom of the cards and pass across the entire width of the cards to prevent catching, or such projection may be formed by cutting away the balance of the card and allowing a portion thereof to remain as a projection. I have shown the tab or projection as applied to the lower edge of the card and-regard this as the mst desirable. It may however be applied to the side edges of the cards.

While I have shown the projection as being rounded senseo it obviously may be made iu other forms and it may be l l l l l l l l l l found desirable in case the said cards ure to have the projection applied to theni afterward. to indie-.ite by printing or otherwise, the position thereof, lt will be seen that an error in applying the. project ion to the card is easily corrected by pasting thereon a lresh .strip ol' material having the projection in the corrected place. Theuse of the said cards and receptacler will insure certainty in the separation of the desired curds und will insure that none of the said cards will be overlooked b v reason of the fact that the separated cards project above the rest of the cards and are thrust` prominently before the eye of the persdn making use. of the cards.

l have shown a box provided with grooves und chaunels therein and a rod cooperating tluercwith, :nul means for locking the rod in the raised position, but it will be apparent that this is only one means by which the cards may be separated front the inuss by being raised above the same, and l do not wish to be liinited to the particular construction of box illustrated by ine.

What I' claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A series of record cards distinguished in groups, euch card having a projection on un edge thereof, cards belong ing to the sume group having their projections in line und a receptacle 4for said cards provided with menus whereby all of said cards belongingl te any one group univ be sintul taneously sepnruted from the muss ot cnrds .substuntnllj- :is described.

Z2." A series of record cords distinguished in groups euch card having a projection on un edge. thereot', cards belonging to the saine group having; their projections in line, :i receptacle for said c rds provided with :i series of grooves adapted to receive d projet-tions, und u bnr in said receptacle :idupted to sepuruie the curds whose projcc tions are adjacent to Suid bur from the inns, :uibstuntinlly as described.

3. In :i card indexing s vsiein, :i receptuclc i'or the cards, means therein for receiving. projections ou the lower et es of said cards and :iliniugr suine, selectin:y nicnns in suid receptacle underlyingthe whole body oi' said cords :und said projection receiving ineuns, und ineuns l'or operating snid selecting means, whereby ull cnt-ds belonging; to un)v desired group or class muy be sepnruted troni the xnnss by beingprojected above the rest ot' the cards.` substantiully as described.

4. In a card indexingl s vstennh series of cards distinguished in groups, provided with projections on `the lower edge thereof, the position of which determines the. char acter of the card, cards of like chnrueter having' the said projections in line, und :t receptacle udnpted to eontniu said cards und provided with nienns underlying: the muss of said cards and cot'nieratinc` with suid pl'ojections by the operation of which menus :ill the cards ot :inv desired group may be simultaneously raised uhove the rest ol' the cards substantially :is described.

5. A series oi' record cards.distinguished in groups` b v projections on the lower edges of said cui-ds, curds ot the same group having their projections `in line, u receptacle for said cards provided with menus for holding;l the .suid projections in ulinenient und 'with menus uxulerlvhu;` :ill of said cards, and cooperating: with said projections, upon the operation of which ull cards belonging in :i certain group may be separated Troni the rmuss by helm,r projected above the rest of the cards, substantially :is described.

G. A card receptacle provided on its inner lower surface with a series of grooves, u slot :it the bottom of euch groove, the said grooves and slots exteudinul lu-oughout the entire length of the bojx, said slots ndnutod to allow the passage of :i selecting rod, :1nd openings in the front: and rear walls of the said receptacle through which snid rod is adapted to pass, substantially as described.

7. A card containing nndsepuruting receptacle, pro vided with a series of grooves, in its lower wall, und u each groove adapted to receive grooves and channels extending box, slots in the front and rear line with each groove sind channel, n selecting rod normally' in one of said channels, and

channel in the br;tom of n selecting rod, thesaid from front to rear of the means whereby the said rod may be raised andl locked inl member extending below the normal edge of the said card. 10. In :1 card index, a card provided with a bearing member extending below the normal edge of the said card,

and means for supporting and raising the said bearing member and the attached card.

11. A selective card index device comprising a receptacle adapted to contain cards, selecting members adapted to engage the bottom edges of the cards at diierent points of their width, and index cards provided at their bottom edges with differently placed projections in positions corresponding to those which may be assumed by the said selecting members.

12. A selective card index device comprising a receptztcle adapted to contain cards, index cards provided with differently placed projections at their bottom edges, and

adapted, to engage di-erent projections of the cards.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand ln the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 4

WILLIAM M. STRETCH. Witnesses:

ADoLPH F. DINsE, 112mm G, CoRBAnIs. 

